Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34076475›Full record

ReviewJournal of clinical microbiology2021

At-Home Specimen Self-Collection and Self-Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening Demand Accelerated by the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Review of Laboratory Implementation Issues.

Ellen N Kersh, Mayur Shukla, Brian H Raphael, Melissa Habel, Ina Park

Open access · greenAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of clinical microbiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
5.3field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 56 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ellen N KershDivision of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3819-0324
Mayur ShuklaDivision of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Brian H RaphaelDivision of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Melissa HabelDivision of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Ina ParkDivision of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · US

Funding

HHS | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) N/A Congressional funding
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reduced the sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing volume due to social-distancing and stay-at-home orders, among other reasons. These events highlighted previously known benefits of at-home STI self-testing or specimen self-collection and accelerated testing demand via telemedicine. We review testing outside traditional clinical settings. We focus on three curable bacterial STIs among the top 10 U.S. nationally notifiable conditions with screening recommendations: syphilis, gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as the gonococcus [GC]), and chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis). At least 19 million GC/C. trachomatis (GC/CT) screening or diagnostic tests are performed annually, presenting a considerable challenge during the pandemic. Unlike for HIV, STI at-home tests are currently not commercially available. However, innovative telemedicine providers currently offer services where specimen self-collection kits are mailed to patients at home who then ship them to laboratories for processing. We discuss technical and regulatory aspects of modifications for home-based specimen self-collection. The telemedicine provider typically manages and communicates results, provides linkage to care, and is responsible for billing and case reporting. We also describe rapid testing devices in development that may present an opportunity for future self-testing. In summary, COVID-19 has accelerated the evaluation and development of STI self-tests and specimen self-collection. The remaining obstacles are high price, regulatory approval, support for laboratories offering the service, and uncertainty regarding whether target populations with the greatest need are reached effectively. However, increased testing, convenience, and privacy are potential benefits that may enhance uptake and outlast the pandemic.

Indexed as

Chlamydia InfectionsCOVID-19GonorrheaSexually Transmitted DiseasesChlamydia trachomatisHumansLaboratoriesMass ScreeningNeisseria gonorrhoeaePandemicsSARS-CoV-2Self-Testinglaboratory-developed testrapid testself-testingspecimen self-collection

Identifiers

PMID34076475
PMCPMC8525576
OpenAlexW3164065940

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.